Tokyo Electron
TE 8401 Dry
The Tokyo Electron TE 8401 is a dry etcher for 8-inch wafers. The TE 8401 is available as a single-chamber poly etch tool using gases He, O2, CF4, HBr, and Cl2, or as a dual-chamber nitride etch tool using gases HBr and Cl2.[1]
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedA dry etcher is a plasma-based semiconductor process tool. Dry etchers remove selected material from a wafer by combining reactive gas chemistry with ion-driven surface interaction. Dry etchers are used when a process needs patterned material removal with controlled profile and selectivity.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedA dry etcher generally feeds process gases into a vacuum chamber and excites a plasma that forms reactive species. The plasma removes exposed film while patterned resist or another mask protects areas meant to remain. Chamber design, gas chemistry, pressure control, and power delivery are the main levers used to shape etch rate, anisotropy, and selectivity.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedDry etchers are pattern transfer tools used after a film has been deposited and patterned by lithography. Dry etching typically follows steps such as film formation and photoresist patterning, and it precedes resist strip, clean, metrology, and any subsequent deposition or implant steps that depend on the etched structure. Dry etchers are central to module flows that build gates, contacts, isolation features, and interconnect-related structures.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedDry etchers are used for patterned removal of films employed in integrated circuit fabrication. Common application spaces for this class include transfer of lithographic patterns into dielectric layers, conductive layers, and hard masks. Process engineers use dry etching when sidewall shape, critical dimension control, and material selectivity matter to device formation.
Why won't it start?
Documented failure modes, common issues, and field considerations.
- Missing: pumps - parts tool
What do the numbers mean?
Vacuum & pumping1
Wafer handling2
Gas & chemistry7
Control & software7
Configuration & options22
Vintage & configurations
Documented models & variants
| Designation | Generation | Vintage | Changes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single chamber poly etch | — | 1997 | Single chamber; poly etch; gases He, O2, CF4, HBr, Cl2; EPROM based OS | Equipment inventory listing[2] |
| Dual chamber nitride etch | — | — | Dual chamber; nitride etch; gases HBr, Cl2; JDOS OS | Equipment inventory listing[1] |
| TE 8401 (poly etch configuration) | — | 1997 | Single chamber; poly etch; gases He, O2, CF4, HBr, Cl2; EPROM-based OS | Equipment inventory listing[2] |
| TE 8401 (nitride etch configuration) | — | — | Dual chamber; nitride etch; gases HBr, Cl2; JDOS OS | Equipment inventory listing[1] |
What replaced it?
Alternatives
Tools documented as functional equivalents — same process step and wafer size, from a different manufacturer. Each equivalence cites its source.
- Lam Research Alliance A 6 Exelan HP Dielectric— Same function class: Etch, nullCompare in depthsource[5]
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
Where are the manuals?
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the TE 8401 Dry are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the TE 8401 Dry are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
The control-system platform and OS era of the TE 8401 Dry are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
The process node or technology generation of the TE 8401 Dry is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No publicly documented compatible parts, consumables, or accessories for the TE 8401 Dry are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM parts catalog or a service engineer
No publicly hosted manuals, SOPs, or datasheets for the TE 8401 Dry are on record.
Answerable by: university cleanroom staff or an OEM application specialist
Sources & citations
Sources (5)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]inventory listing
- [2]inventory listing
- [3]Equipment inventory listing
- [4]Equipment inventory listing
- [5]Equipment inventory listing
Last updated Oct 19, 2026.
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